Lego Robotics to teach Team Building Skills Carlotta
Lego Robotics to teach Team Building Skills Carlotta Eaton, NRCC Shawn Lupoli, NRCC & RU VCCS - October 2006 Eaton & Lupoli
Session Description • NRCC has incorporated team-based interactive activities • Utilize Lego Mindstorm Robotics • Retention booster • Team building experience • Course drop out rates from 50% down to 10% VCCS - October 2006 Eaton & Lupoli 2
Agenda • Who? Carlotta, Shawn • What? What are the problems in an introductory CS class? • Why? Why use Lego Mindstorms? • How? How do I start with Legos? • Results? Teamwork, Retention VCCS - October 2006 Eaton & Lupoli 3
Who? • Carlotta Eaton, CS & IT at NRCC • Shawn Lupoli, IT at NRCC & CS at RU VCCS - October 2006 Eaton & Lupoli 4
Partially Funded by … • NSF Grant #0402567 VCCS Creating Pathways II for IT Professionals • VCCS Professional Grant VCCS - October 2006 Eaton & Lupoli 5
What are the problems? • Intro to CS or programming class • 50% dropout rate • Area high school dropped all programming classes because no matching SOL VCCS - October 2006 Eaton & Lupoli 6
Why use Mindstorms? See http: //mindstorms. lego. com/ ? domainredir=www. mindstorms. com VCCS - October 2006 Eaton & Lupoli 7
Why use Mindstorms? • Makes programming less abstract • Students can see a decision or a loop • Students work in teams • Students can DETECT and DEBUG errors with little frustration VCCS - October 2006 Eaton & Lupoli 8
How do I start? • • • VCCS - October 2006 Class/Lab Structure Lego Products Mindstorm software Computers Table or Floor Space Lots of Batteries Eaton & Lupoli 9
How do I Start? (Class Structure) • CSC 200 – See ww. nr. edu/csc 200 • Course change request to 4 credits – 2 hours lecture on Basic Computer Topics – 2 hours lab learning basic programming constructs • • Variables If-Else Loops Etc… VCCS - October 2006 Eaton & Lupoli 10
How do I Start? Mindstorms Software • Site License Agreement • Robo. Lab software VCCS - October 2006 Eaton & Lupoli 11
How do I Start? Computers Computer built from Legos VCCS - October 2006 Eaton & Lupoli 12
How do I start? RCX Programmable Lego Brick • Serves as the brain of the Lego Mindstorms sets. VCCS - October 2006 Eaton & Lupoli 13
How do I start? Infrared Transmitter with USB Cable • Connects to the computer • Establishes wireless link between RCX brick and computer VCCS - October 2006 Eaton & Lupoli 14
How do I start? Technology Resource Set • Technically oriented brick set • Good supplement to Mindstorms sets • 1110 pieces VCCS - October 2006 Eaton & Lupoli 15
How do I Start? All in one Set Robo Technology Set with USB Transmitter • Get basics in a set • RCX brick • USB transmitter • Picture book • Sensors, motors • Lego Bricks VCCS - October 2006 Eaton & Lupoli 16
How do I Start? (extra stuff) • Microsoft Visio – Flowcharting software • LDraw – 3 D CAD program drawing legos – Has ALL mindstorm pieces!!! – Free!!! VCCS - October 2006 Eaton & Lupoli 17
How do I Start? (Students in Lab) • Strive for 3 students per group – – Students excel in groups Students help one another 3 is proven to be optimal Kits are expensive VCCS - October 2006 Eaton & Lupoli 18
Results • • CSC 200 dropout rate declined from 50% to 10% Students work together in teams Students form friendships and support group Students take CSC 200 prior to a programming language such as VB or Java • Also reduced dropout rate in follow-on programming classes such as VB or Java • Reduces anxiety of the Java/VB jump VCCS - October 2006 Eaton & Lupoli 19
Resources www. lego. com/education/ VCCS - October 2006 Eaton & Lupoli 20
More Resources • CSC 200 at NRCC www. nr. edu/csc 200/labs/lab 3 -lego-start. html • Tufts University www. ceeo. tufts. edu/ • National Instruments www. ni. com/company/robolab. htm • First Lego League www. usfirst. org/jrobtcs/flego. htm VCCS - October 2006 Eaton & Lupoli 21
Mindstorms Support • LEGO Education will continue to support the existing platform until the end of 2009 • Mindstorms NXT - Next generation will launch August 2006 • See http: //www. lego. com/ VCCS - October 2006 Eaton & Lupoli 22
Support: Teacher Guides • Teacher guides available for elementary & middle school students VCCS - October 2006 Eaton & Lupoli 23
Support: Online Activity Bank • Web Site for K-12 Activities • http: //www 1. lego. com/education/preschool /default. asp? l 2 id=1_2&pagename=sub_ab_ 1&locale=2057 VCCS - October 2006 Eaton & Lupoli 24
Summary • • • Utilize Lego Mindstorm Robotics Team building experience Interactive activities Retention booster Course drop out rates declined from 50% down to 10% • Follow-on programming classes drop out rate very low VCCS - October 2006 Eaton & Lupoli 25
Contact Information Carlotta Eaton Professor of IT & CS New River Community College Dublin, VA 24084 (540) 674 -3600 x 4250 nreatoc@nr. edu www. nr. edu/eaton VCCS - October 2006 Eaton & Lupoli 26
Contact Information Shawn Lupoli Adjunct Instructor New River Community College & Radford University (540) 831 -5797 slupoli@vt. edu VCCS - October 2006 Eaton & Lupoli 27
Q&A Thanks for coming! VCCS - October 2006 Eaton & Lupoli
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